Public consultations — What we heard

Engagement and consultation process

The management planning process usually takes approximately two years. Parks Canada begins its work well in advance to ensure a thorough evaluation of the state of the site and a good scoping of the opportunities and challenges it presents. A State of Site (SoS) evaluation is an analysis that helps set the stage for future planning. Together, the SoS evaluation and scoping exercise establish the framework for a renewed plan. The planning process timeframe also allows at least one year for consultation with Indigenous peoples and all Canadians. According to the Parks Canada planning schedule, the Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada Management Plan is to be tabled in Parliament in fall of 2023.

Work towards a renewed management plan for Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada officially began in 2019/20 with a State of Site (SoS) evaluation. Work on the SoS report continued throughout the pandemic, as did the management plan renewal, though both suffered uncontrollable delays as Parks Canada and Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia, Acadians and other key partners and stakeholders involved adjusted to new ways of doing business.

Nonetheless, the SoS Report was completed and approved in December of 2020, the scoping document for the plan and process approved in September of 2021, and a first draft of the management plan was ready for consultation in May 2022.

Who we heard from

To facilitate meaningful opportunities for the public to contribute to the Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada Management Plan, a two-phased consultation approach was developed, using a variety of in-person and online approaches and methods.

Phase one involved initial engagement sessions with Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia, Acadian partners, and the Landscape of Grand Pré Incorporated. These sessions focused on refining elements of the vision and key strategies, while exploring opportunities and challenges related to site management, prior to the development of the draft management plan.

Phase two (May 9 to August 5, 2022) provided partners, stakeholders, and the public with an opportunity to review and comment on the draft management plan.

Virtual consultation sessions were held in spring 2022 with representatives of various Acadian organizations and the Landscape of Grand Pré Incorporated. These sessions served as a strong sounding board for the preliminary plan prior to full public consultation.

An Open House was held at Grand-Pré National Historic Site on the evening of July 12th. Those in attendance had the opportunity to provide Parks Canada staff with feedback on the Management Plan. Four stations were set up as part of the open house, one for discussing the vision and one for each of the three key strategies.

We also heard from numerous Canadians who submitted online comment cards and provided us with invaluable feedback that helped inform the final version of the Management plan.

Finally, Grand-Pré National Historic Site staff played a key role in shaping the final management plan by sharing their intimate knowledge of the site, in all its facets and complexities, and helping fine tune the vision, the key strategies, objectives, and the targets found in the draft plan during special consultation sessions held in fall 2022.

The planning team carefully reviewed and considered all feedback, resulting in a robust and effective strategic document to guide Grand-Pré National Historic Site well into the future.

Phase 1: The planning team carefully reviewed and considered all feedback, resulting in a robust and effective strategic document to guide Grand-Pré National Historic Site well into the future.

Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia

In February 2020, discussions were held between Parks Canada and Kwilmu’kw Maw-klusuaqn (KMKNO) representatives on items related to Grand-Pré National Historic Site and the site’s management planning process. Correspondence continued during fall 2020 leading to further engagement in spring 2021.

On March 30, 2021, an engagement session was held with KMKNO representatives to provide them with an update on the management planning process for Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada and to present key elements arising from the 2019 State of Site Assessment. Other objectives included familiarizing KMKNO representatives with the management plan scoping information and process, as well as discussing possible adjustments to the draft plan prior to final Parks Canada approval. Finally, the session aimed to frame future engagement and consultation and discuss next steps in the management planning review process. Meeting notes were subsequently provided to all participants, as well as copies of the documents discussed during the session.

On April 27, 2021, KMKNO provided Parks Canada with detailed comments and suggestions on the items discussed during the March 30th engagement session. This feedback informed Parks Canada’s next steps, including the writing of the draft plan in fall 2021.

A letter and detailed project description were sent to all Mi’kmaq communities and KMKNO on April 8, 2022, and by May, Parks Canada had a preliminary draft of the Grand-Pré National Historic Site Management Plan ready and available as it commenced formal consultation. Parks Canada extended its original legal standard period of 30 days to allow additional time for Mi’kmaq communities to express interest to consult. The field unit also made courtesy calls to several neighbouring communities.

In late June, Parks Canada welcomed comments from KMKNO, leading to further meetings in fall 2022. During these meetings, KMKNO stressed that the new management plan must clearly establish Mi’kmaq presence at Grand-Pré and the surrounding region before, during, and after the arrival of Acadian settlers. KMKKO expressed the importance of the site in the larger Mi’kmaq cultural landscape, which encompasses the UNESCO inscribed world heritage site and surrounding buffer zone, including viewsheds looking towards Cape Blomidon from Horton Landing and the highest elevation at Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada. They shared their belief that the Indigenous context has been sorely missing in the past and that the drafting of a new management plan is an opportunity to improve our shared understanding of the history. It was agreed that the centuries-old relationship between the Mi’kmaq and Acadian peoples is a thing to be acknowledged, shared, and celebrated, and that Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada offers opportunities for reconciliation and reconnection with the Mi’kmaq allies who helped Acadians instill their own heartland in this part of Mi’kma’ki.

Acadian Partners & Landscape of Grand Pré Incorporated

During spring 2021, the Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada planning team held two half-day virtual workshops with key site partners: A grouping of Acadian representatives (Société Promotion Grand-Pré, Les Amis de Grand-Pré, Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse, Société Nationale de l’Acadie) and Landscape of Grand Pré Incorporated.

These workshops offered each partner an overview of the management planning process and Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada challenges and opportunities. Sessions offered participants their own space to start identifying mutually beneficial opportunities, areas of common concern, and challenges to consider. All comments received during these sessions were recorded for consideration in the development of the preliminary draft of the new management plan.

Acadians partners shared that the new management plan must clearly recognize the site’s enduring importance to Acadians around the world, for whom it has become a symbol of resilience and a place where the tragic events of the Deportation are remembered and presented. It was stated that any new direction should be mindful of preserving the site’s original purpose.

Phase 2: Formal Consultations with Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia, Acadian Representatives, Partners, Stakeholders, Staff, and the General Public (Spring-Summer 2022)

Formal consultation on the draft management plan took place from May 9 to August 5, 2022.

During this period, tailored virtual consultation sessions and bilateral meetings were held with Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia, Acadians representatives, Landscape of Grand Pré Incorporated, partners, and other local stakeholders. These sessions covered: the management planning process at Parks Canada; the current state of the national historic site, including challenges and opportunities; and the draft vision, key strategies, objectives, and targets as laid out in the preliminary draft management plan.

Good discussions were had on the unique position of the national historic site as a gateway to the Landscape of Grand Pré UNESCO World Heritage Site, the importance of increased involvement of the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia at the site, the multiplicity of partners and stakeholders involved with the site over its 100 year history, particularly the Acadians given the reasons for designation and the importance of the site to this cultural community worldwide, and the protection of the site’s natural and cultural resources and its vital place in Nova Scotia’s tourism and hospitality sector.

Virtual sessions were also held with individual organizations who wanted to contribute to the plan, as well as with smaller groups representing specific sectors of interest.

The sessions lasted between 2 and 3 hours and included a presentation on the Draft Management Plan with a focus on the key strategies and objectives deemed most relevant to each specific group. Participants were invited to provide comments at key moments in the presentation and during a discussion period afterwards.

A newsletter was developed to communicate news of the public consultation period. The newsletter was mailed out to over 8 700 households across Nova Scotia’s Kings County within the Annapolis Valley region. It proposed several ways for local residents to review the draft management plan and provide feedback, from attendance at an open house held at Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada on July 12, 2022, to virtual feedback via the Parks Canada website.

A summary of the draft plan and an online comment card were made available to the public on the Grand-Pré National Historic Site/Parks Canada website and the Consulting with Canadians website, providing Canadians across the country with the means to participate in the consultation. Details on how to participate in the consultation were promoted through local and regional media outlets and social media platforms. Social media posts and a social media paid advertisement promoting the draft management plan and public consultation helped the Parks Canada team reach 18 664 people during an 8-week period. Paid advertisements also appeared in local newspapers and posters promoting the Open House were put up in various locations near Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada.

In total, Parks Canada received 49 online comment cards as part of its public consultations.

What we heard

The following summary reflects the feedback received from the online comment cards, the Open House on July 12, and during tailored virtual consultation sessions with groups of key partners, stakeholders, and staff. While management plans are high-level, long-term strategic documents, written with a results-based approach as opposed to an action plan, some respondents indicated that they would prefer to see more detail in the plan and provided specific ideas as to how the management plan should be implemented. The passion of stakeholders, partners and the public for Grand-Pré National Historic Site was evident in the extent and tone of responses, the understanding and passion for the national historic site and the UNESCO recognized landscape which surrounds it, as well as the willingness to be engaged, and desire to stay informed. This was particularly evident in the range of opinions voiced for enhancing the visitor experience with improved interpretative services and activities and increasing overall visitation, while also maintaining the site as a sober place of remembrance, reflection, learning, and pilgrimage for the Acadian population. Support was also voiced for regular implementation updates and reporting on the progress made towards the management plan’s objectives and targets.

Vision

Participants were asked to strongly agree, agree, disagree, strongly disagree, or stay neutral with Parks Canada’s proposed vision for Grand-Pré National Historic Site. From the comment cards received, 79% indicated agreement with the proposed vision.

The vision proposed in the draft management plan was influenced by feedback received during engagement sessions with Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia and Acadian partners. Comments received were largely positive with most respondents stating that the vision resonated well with them and accurately captured the essence of Grand-Pré National Historic Site. Emphasis on reconciliation with the Mi’kmaq is one element of the vision that was particularly well received by respondents. Additions to the vision based on input received from other partners, stakeholders and the public include acknowledging that Grand-Pré National Historic Site is situated on unceded Mi’kmaq territory and highlighting the historic relationship between Mi’kmaq and Acadian peoples.

Key strategies

The Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada Draft Management Plan included three key strategies, each with a set of objectives and targets that will help guide park management decisions for the ten-year life of the plan. Detailed operational plans will determine how objectives and targets are met, and an annual implementation update will outline what has been achieved throughout the plan period.

Participants were asked to attribute a level of importance for Parks Canada’s proposed key strategies for Grand-Pré National Historic Site: very important, important, neutral, not important.

Key Strategy 1 – An attractive, world-class historic site

This strategy builds on UNESCO's 2012 recognition of the exceptional heritage value of the Landscape of Grand Pré. This designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site is the result of ongoing engagement with Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia, the local community, and stakeholders who, with the support of Parks Canada, prepared and supported the UNESCO nomination of the Landscape of Grand Pré. The pride associated with this international recognition is naturally accompanied by high expectations of Grand-Pré National Historic Site in terms of protecting its cultural resources, facilitating memorable visitor experiences, and ensuring the quality of the site’s facilities. Key Strategy 1 recognizes that Parks Canada must implement best practices in these areas if the site is to be a world-class tourism destination and attract visitors from near and far. This strategy therefore includes objectives and targets to ensure that the heritage value of the site and its components are maintained and to reaffirm its role as a gateway to discovering the Landscape of Grand Pré UNESCO World Heritage Site. It also aims to improve and enhance services and activities for visitors and thus increase its profile and allure for the benefit of the entire region.

Feedback from the comment cards received showed strong support for Key Strategy 1 with 90% of participants deeming it important or very important. Respondents reiterated the importance of finding the right balance between increasing visitation through improved visitor experience and maintaining the site as a sober place of remembrance and learning. Of note and worthy of further consideration given the recent addition of oTENTik lodgings at Grand-Pré, 56% of respondents attributed importance to objective 1.3 which seeks to encourage visitors to extend their stay at Grand-Pré Historic Site through a well-established accommodation experience.

I think Grand-Pré has many values, but the greatest is connecting the people most connected to its story and giving them a place to reflect and find "home".

Key Strategy 2 – A place of remembrance for the Acadian community and a place of learning for all

This strategy recognizes that Grand-Pré National Historic Site, located on traditional and unceded Mi'kmaq territory (Segepenegatig), has become a prime location steeped in identity for the Acadian community. It celebrates the deep attachment that Acadians around the world still feel today towards this site and region, which is the heart of their ancestral homeland and a symbol of the ties that unite them. The significance of the site also engages other communities, all Canadians and visitors from around the world in reflecting on and learning from the tragedy of an entire people as well as the lessons learned at that time.

Key Strategy 2 therefore focuses on commemorating and presenting the history of the Acadian people and honouring their resilience. This presentation of history must also address and highlight the multiple historical perspectives of Grand-Pré, whether that of the Mi’kmaq, Acadian or of the Planters, as well as the lesser-known facets of history so that visitors have access to a fair and complete interpretation. The site thus lends itself to stimulating collaborations and discussions around the telling of the region's history with the goal of enriching the narrative and fostering the reconciliation of different perspectives. All of this solidifies the fundamental role played by Grand-Pré National Historic Site in reflecting on and learning about the expulsion of the Acadians, but also more broadly about the forced migration and immigration of peoples, which continue to represent current themes that remain relevant in today's world.

Feedback from comment cards received showed strong support for Key Strategy 2 with 95% of participants deeming it important or very important. Respondents reiterated the importance of framing Grand-Pré National Historic Site as part of a larger Acadian experience, including everyday life at Grand-Pré before the expulsion and relations with the local Mi’kmaq and with other significant historical sites in the region such as Port Royal, Fort Louisbourg, Fort Beauséjour, or the Citadel, the resettlement of Acadians post expulsion, and the Acadian renaissance of the late 19th and early 20th century. Several respondents mentioned an interest in seeing more interpretative content on agrarian life in around Grand-Pré prior to the expulsion.

The story of losing home is one that resonates with many people and can be used to help all of us develop increased empathy not only for Acadians in the past, but also for people today being forced from their homes due to war, discrimination, and persecution.

Key Strategy 3 – Mi’kmaq, partners and collaborators working in synergy towards a shared vision

For many years, Grand-Pré National Historic Site has been fortunate to have valuable partners, such as the Société Promotion Grand-Pré and Les Amis de Grand-Pré, who support it in the various aspects of its mission, including facilitating visitor experience, presenting interpretative activities, accessing genealogical resources, and managing the gift shop. In addition, the Parks Canada Agency is committed to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and to respecting any future agreements signed during the management plan implementation period. Agreements with the Mi'kmaq in Nova Scotia will be implemented in a timely manner and will continue to build on the Indigenous-Crown relationship. Grand-Pré National Historic Site is a place where the Mi'kmaq can tell their stories and share their culture, heritage and traditions in their own voice.

Collaboration with the Landscape of Grand Pré Incorporated in obtaining the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation is an example of a partnership that is essential to the presentation of the historic site and the larger landscape in which it is situated.

Coordinating with Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia and all these partners is therefore a management priority for the historic site in a context where numerous parties have a role to play in presenting the history of Grand-Pré. Through key strategy 3, Mi’kmaq, partners and collaborators are called upon to work in synergy towards a shared vision. Parks Canada at Grand-Pré National Historic Site also seeks to foster greater engagement with adjacent communities. This notably includes increasing their awareness of, and attachment to, the site, as well as strengthening the position of the site in the region's communities and tourism industry. Opportunities exist and should be pursued to diversify the use of the site by neighbouring communities.

Feedback from comment cards received showed strong support for Key Strategy 3 with 80% of participants responding in favour of the proposed orientation. Respondents reiterated the important role that the local Mi’kmaq played in the history of the Acadian settlement at Grand-Pré and the importance of working collaboratively with the Mi’kmaq, Acadian partners, and others moving forward for the collective benefit of all.

I would like Grand Pré to become an inclusive place where different cultures can come together and meet. I believe that we can all find ourselves a little bit in Grand-Pré and in its history. I also believe that it is important that its programming and events be conducive to reconciliation.

Grand-Pré National Historic Site Staff

Given their insight and intimate knowledge of the site, special efforts were made to encourage the participation of staff in the public consultation process. An in-person consultation session was held with the maintenance and cleaning staff on September 8th and an online session was held with the visitor experience staff on September 20th. Certain themes emerged from these sessions including the need to make the site more accessible and inclusive, to place greater focus on Grand-Pré National Historic Site as a place of research and learning on the Acadian odyssey, to make the visitor experience more family friendly, to better tell the Mi’kmaq story, to better utilize the site as a place for public gathering, and to match new site attractions (i.e. oTENTik) with the appropriate resources and infrastructure.

Grand-Pré National Historic Site is an educational and recreational experience for the whole family – a breath of fresh air!

Next steps

The park planning team is proud to say that the 2023 Grand-Pré National Historic Site of Canada Management Plan was completed through engagement and consultation with Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia, Acadian partners, the Landscape of Grand Pré Incorporated, local communities, and the general public. The final plan has evolved to respond to suggestions and ideas that we heard from you. Our shared vision will guide park management for the next 10 years as we work to implement the key strategies, objectives and targets that will improve the site’s commemorative integrity, visitor experience and our relationships with local communities.

While the management planning process is now complete, Parks Canada will be providing annual implementation updates to partners, stakeholders and the general public. Additionally, Parks Canada is always open to receiving feedback and suggestions for ways we can work with others to achieve shared objectives.